The Second AttaCK

Q: How do I prepare for USMLE step 2 CK as an IMG?

A: Step 1 often poses a tricky challenge for international graduates who are USMLE aspirants. Some attempt it several years after their medical graduation when their foundational knowledge has all but evaporated. It may feel like the boss-level in a video game, but it has its own cheat codes -- First Aid, Pathoma, Uworld.

Yet when it comes to Step 2 CK students struggle for an entirely different reason. While Step 1 is akin to an incredibly difficult voyage, Step 2 is like sailing an uncharted sea. With no single exhaustive resource, it is tough to know where to begin.

Here at Dumb CQs, we would like to review the available question banks, books and assessments to help you select the best one:

QUESTION BANKS:


1) UWorld - If we had to recommend just one question bank, it would be Uworld. However, to get the most bang for your buck (as you must, the pricing starts at 349$), it's best to follow a systematic plan.

Read all explanations thoroughly, both for correct as well as incorrect questions
Try to find all the little nuggets in the question stem that lead you to the diagnosis, and how they would change if the diagnosis was different. Test-taking is a skill, but it is a skill that can be learned
You should ideally do Uworld at least twice.
The 2nd pass through Uworld should be in random timed mode.

  • Pros - The highest yield question bank with great explanations.
  • Cons - None.

 2) Amboss - Amboss combines the question quality of Uworld with a medical database arranged by topic. It includes knowledge cards for a vast number of diseases, drugs, and even symptoms.

  • Pros - A good second question bank for those who want to challenge themselves beyond Uworld. It also has a free 14-day trial that can be found on https://freemeded.org/the-official-amboss-review/. The question stems are notoriously long and would help you if you're struggling with time management.
  • Cons - It can often be tempting, and time-consuming, to read all the knowledge cards associated with a question.

 BOOKS:


1) First Aid for Step 2 CK - The bible of Step 1 prep, First Aid is often the go-to default option for many students, however First Aid for Step 2 CK is peppered with low-yield content and errors.


  • Pros - If you liked to annotate your First Aid with Uworld information, USMLE pearls and Post-it notes, First Aid can be a good resource to compile all your knowledge into one source.
  • Cons - Step 2 CK is dependent on data and management guidelines that change constantly, and even the best of books is likely to get outdated in a few years. First Aid is no different and contains a lot of superfluous or incorrect information.




2) Master the Boards - This book benefits from the popularity of Dr. Conrad Fischer, but it is not without its flaws.
  • Pros - Lucid presentation, helpful tips, and pearls. 
  • Cons - The book only covers the basics and is grossly insufficient as the only resource.

 ASSESSMENTS:


1) Uworld Self Assessments: These mimic the test format most accurately, and come bundled with the Uworld subscription.


2) NBME Assessments: These do not replicate the test format, as the question stems are shorter. The predictive value of these can be variable.

 As per the Step 2 CK 2018 Correlation Survey of 249 students conducted on Reddit, the most predictive tests are NBME 7 > UWSA 2 > UWSA 1 > NBME 6 > NBME 8.

 The correction factor for each exam can be found on https://www.reddit.com/r/Step2/comments/ansibd/step2_ck_2018_correlation_survey_results/.

CMS Series: These are a set of questions from 8 different clinical subjects and cover a variety of clinical situations and display the same shorter question format and difficulty levels as the NBMEs. A lot of the cases here are often encountered for the first time for students, hence they are a great supplement to your preparation!

3) Free 120: These are the official set of 120 questions provided by USMLE, and hence must be attempted by all candidates. However, the question difficulty is a lot easier than on the main exam. It can be found on https://www.usmle.org/practice-materials/index.html.

 By The Dumb CQs Team
(Disclaimer: We don't have any affiliations with the resources mentioned above, exam preparation is a very personal decision and different folks can have different strokes!)

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